CHAPTER 18
While Nathan had woken early eager to get on with his day, he hoped to get his rounds completed before the sun and heat were at their strongest, well that was what he would say if anyone asked why he was up so early, Bea had actually slept very late for her.
She hadn't slept so peacefully in months. For the first time since leaving hospital, she had no pain or cramping at all.
As she made her way downstairs, she could hear some of the ladies she had come to know chatting.
"Bea Good Morning," said Faith, "Come over and join us, we would welcome any new ideas."
"Ideas? About what?"
"The dance in 10 days," replied Rosemary, "we are so late getting this organised."
"Let me get a coffee and I will join you, does anyone else want anything?"
"I think we are all OK at the moment but thank you."
Coffee in hand the ladies made room for her at the table.
"So, what's the problem with this here dance then?" she asked.
"Well to start with we normally have a theme or a reason to celebrate, Founders Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on, this one is really just to try and give everyone a boost, bring the community together. Something to lift everyone's spirits with all the unrest."
Molly spoke, "We are normally well organised with such things; we have had various ideas but nothing seems right."
"What date are you actually planning on?"
"It would be the twenty-first "replied Florence.
"Well, there you have it then." Everyone looked at Bea wondering what they had missed.
"Sorry," she said, "Maybe it isn't celebrated here in Canada, I do forget about the differences. The 21st is the Summer Solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year. All over Europe countries celebrate that day in various ways: parties, gatherings, family get together's, Midsummer a lot call it. You could have a Midsummer Festival or Celebration."
This had perked the lady's interest.
"Tell us more Bea, this sounds fun, something new for Hope Valley.
"It is a very old tradition; people eat and drink a lot," Bea laughed. "They often have something like a Maypole that they dance around, oh and a bonfire. The Vikings worshipped fertility on this day – and hoped for a rich harvest, the bonfire was to ward off evil spirits."
"Where were you going to hold it."
"Here in the saloon," said Carla, "would that be suitable?"
"Perfect, hopefully, the weather will be good and the party could spill out into the street, they are normally held outside. You could decorate with wildflowers, they are of great significance, you need flower garlands in your hair ladies. Food-wise families would bring picnics or something for the table so everyone could share, the more seasonal the better. Really you could adapt it as you see fit, remembering you are celebrating the turning of the year."
Rosemary spoke, "Well ladies I don't know about the rest of you but I am rather excited now."
Everyone agreed and discussion started as to who would do what.
"I will help if you need me for anything but can I just suggest that if you are planning on a bonfire do it as late in the day as you think right. Perhaps you could build it up in the meadow by the school, then before it is due to be lit everyone would walk up the main street in procession. Some places in Scotland do that, it is always exciting."
"This just gets better and better," Rosemary even sounded excited now.
The planning continued and most things were sorted in an hour. Posters would be made and tasks allocated.
As everyone started to leave and go about their day everyone thanked Bea, "we would still have been here at lunchtime."
"Have you got much planned for your day?" Faith asked as they walked down the street.
"Well, I am going to take our big lad for a walk first, before it gets too hot. He is almost back to full fitness now Faith, he is a wonderful lad you know."
"He is, when you leave, I will have to make a bigger effort with him."
"Remember that little scheme I mentioned to Gabe before he left? Well, Nathan is going to try and do something similar here, we are going to try and sort that this afternoon. That reminds me I must have a word with Rosemary about it, see if she could write an article for the newspaper. We already have a chalkboard for messages in the livery, Ned kindly donated that."
Faith smiled "Bea you are so organised."
"Not always." Bea laughed. "Have you got a busy day?"
"I have a clinic this afternoon and Fiona should be back later today so we will have a catch-up. You will need to meet her too, another female in a male world. Maybe we could get together for dinner."
"Sounds like a plan, just let me know when."
"I will now I will let you get on before it gets too hot to do anything."
As she entered the livery her eyes were drawn immediately to the board, she had a feeling he would have left a message. "Morag Beatrice Gregory" she laughed out loud, using my Sunday name indeed. Wiping the board, she wrote, "Just out walking today, won't be long."
Hero welcomed her as he did every day now, "Come on big lad, a nice easy walk today I think it's too hot for much else."
They were out about an hour, that was enough.
Nathan still wasn't back; Newton's stall was empty. He was a wise man, he wouldn't push Newton in this weather, hopefully, that is why he is late back.
She altered her message to "Just been for a walk today."
As she walked down the boardwalk she noticed Robert, Opal, and a couple of the other children all eating ice-creams. Now that is just what I need, she thought. Actually, I will sit a while and see if Nathan comes back, I will get him one too, sure it would go down well, he would need cooling down.
Sitting in the shade beside the cafe she watched everyone in Hope Valley going about their daily life. This was a lovely little town, so different from Alnwick she thought. The nearest town to Bramble was a market town, built up over the years to serve the rural community. The only similarity was the people, a true community ready to help and support each other. She had been made to feel so welcome and for that she was thankful.
As her thoughts returned to home, of leaving here that awful feeling overtook her again, just briefly but it was there. It didn't last long as out of the corner of her eye she saw him and that sick feeling was replaced with the flutter and missing heartbeats, would that ever stop she wondered.
Having given him 10 minutes or so Bea headed to the mercantile.
"Ned, would you happen to know if Nathan likes ice cream and if he does which is his favourite?"
Ned caught sight of Flo grinning. "Well, he does and is quite partial to good old vanilla."
"In that case please may I have two, I thought it would cool him down after being out in this heat all morning."
"How thoughtful of you, I think it will be appreciated, now run before they melt "he laughed.
"Florence Yost" Ned said, "you must stop these knowing smiles and glances, I almost said something there."
"Ned, women just know" she grinned.
The jail-house door was wide open, she knocked "Hello the house... I thought you might appreciate this'' she said, holding the ice cream around the door frame.
He just laughed that laugh... "Come in, you don't have to knock you know."
"Well, you never know, nowhere before it melts. Ned said vanilla was your favourite."
"It is and thank you, keep hold of it a minute while I take this off."
He took his serge off and pushed his sleeves up, "that's a bit better, now where is that ice-cream?"
"Do you have to go out again later?"
"Yes, but only on foot. I only have the town perimeter to check. I did the rest this morning, that's why I am a bit late. I don't like keeping Newton out too long in this heat."
"You're right, I have seen horses suffer really bad from heatstroke, dogs too, some people have no idea, it makes me so mad to see."
"I really can't imagine you angry with anyone."
Grinning, she said, "I don't blow very often but when I do you need to stand well back, or so I have been told."
"I will bear that in mind then. Have you had a good morning?"
"I actually slept late, well late for me, and then got pulled into the dance planning."
He smirked knowing what the ladies here were like "Really?"
"Don't you look at me like that Constable."
"You don't strike me as the same type really, as the ladies here."
"I will have you know that I sorted them all within an hour, Hope Valley will be hosting its first Midsummer Festival, the ladies are rather excited and are busy organising as we speak. I will be on hand in an advisory capacity if needed"
"Will you indeed?"
She gave him the most playful look, "I will, now eat your ice cream it is melting all over."
My ice cream isn't the only thing melting, he thought.
"Shall we go over the details of this scheme while you are here Bea or do you want to do it another day?"
"We may as well if you aren't busy, it won't take long."
"Well, I have a quiet afternoon, I need to get my rounds done early though, I have plans for tonight."
"Now there is a coincidence, so do I." She winked at him.
He roared with laughter again, "Did you just wink at me Miss Toe Dipper, or have you got something in your eye?"
"What this?" she winked again, "No that is a wink."
He could not remember the last time he had laughed so much, it felt so good.
Bea outlined the whole scheme, how simple it was, the lives it had saved in the couple of years they had used it back home.
"You were in the mountain rescue team?"
"I was and loved it. Skye, my beautiful 4 -legged friend, and companion was the best tracker dog they had, he found so many lost walkers, we were a great team."
As Nathan watched her, hanging on her every word he saw the sadness in her face.
"You miss him?"
"So much Nathan, and knowing he gave ..." she cut herself off.
"He gave what Bea; you can tell me?"
"He gave his life to save mine Nathan, please don't ask me how, it is all part of that story that is too painful to relive at present. I promise I will tell you someday, well no I know if I tell anyone it will be you."
God how he wanted just to hold her right here right now, her dog had given its life to save hers. What the hell had she been through?"
"Well, I am here when you feel able Bea, or I hope I am."
"Thank you, Nathan, that means a lot. Now let's finish this, I will have a word with Rosemary shall I, get an article in the newspaper and maybe some leaflets printed?
"Yes, if you could do that I will try and organise a meeting, let everyone know what the whole thing is about and maybe you could tell a few stories of how it worked in Scotland."
"Sounds like we have a plan, we also make a great team."
"We do indeed."
"Right, I will let you get on, don't want you late for whatever you have planned," she said.
"Oh, I won't be late, meet you at 7 in the saloon."
There was that wonderful smile of his again.
"Bea, would you like to eat there or at the Cafe?"
"The Cafe I think if that's OK with you?"
"The Cafe it is, don't you be late?"
"Who me?"
She winked again as she left.
Nathan sat for 5 minutes or more just trying to process what was going on here. He felt so alive again, so happy, so content. Never had anyone made him laugh the way she did, never had anyone made him feel so complete. I am one very lucky man, he thought, very lucky indeed.